Board grants Eagle Rock waiver on latest request

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

By AL DIETZ tneditor@tnonline.com

Eagle Rock Resorts Company, Hazle Township, Luzerne County, obtained a waiver from the Schuylkill County Planning Commission, which held a special meeting late Tuesday afternoon at courthouse in Pottsville, to allow a modification to establish the paved radius of 40 feet and a minimum paved right-of-way for the cul-de-sac street in its newest subdivision, Algonquin Valley, located in the resort in North Union Township.

The new subdivision will contain 133 lots in an area of 430. 3 acres. The Schuylkill County Subdivision and Land Development Ordnance, Section 1114.E.1, proposes turnaround of the culdesac street should have minimum paved radius of 50 feet and a minimum right-of-way of 60 feet. Brinkash Associates Inc., engineers for Eagle Rock, in a letter to the planning commission, cited its reasons for the request.

It pointed out Algonquin Valley Subdivision is located in a high quality watershed and required an individual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit which focused on post construction water quality and protection of environmental resources. It claimed the design was even more challenging to low infiltration rates in the area.

The firm further claims the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) code on stormwater management promotes paving only to an extent that it is necessary for public safety. It also claims the cul-de-sacs in its other subdivision are all 40 by 50 feet and that all roads in its developments are private roads and privately maintained.

The firm further pointed out PennDOT's liquid fuels handbook requires a minimum radius of 40 feet. North Union Township does not have its own planning commission and comes under the jurisdiction of the county's planning commission.

Other action

The commission also reviewed the final plan of the Hidden Forest Phase 3, a major subdivision of Eagle Rock Resort located in East Union Township, which has its own planning commission and had the following comments:

The Uniform Parcel Identifier (UPI) number for this tract needs certification on the plan by the Schuylkill County Assessment Office prior to recording in the county's Recorder of Deeds office.

Connection to public sewer and water systems is proposed and the board recommends the municipality receive a letter from the governing sewer and water authorities.

Proposed change in the phase lines for Hidden Forest Phases 2 and 3. The planning commission reports it has not approved the preliminary land development plan but has given time extensions so that Eagle Rock can address the county's engineering report. The county's engineering report contains several comments regarding stormwater. The plan is returned to the developer for further action.